Machinery



(No Model.) 1 4 sheets-sheen `1. E. FORD.

GBINDINGAND POLISHING MACHINERY. No. 521,953. Patented June 26, 1894.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

EQPORD. GRINDING vAND POLISHING MACHINERY. No. 5.21.9573. Patented June 26, 1894.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. FORD. GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINERY.

No. 521,953. Patented June 26, 1894. f

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

E. FORD. GRINDING AND POLISEING MACHINERY. No. 521,953.

Patented June 26, 1894.

UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE..

` EDWARD FORD, OF CREIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO THE PITTSBURG PLATE GLASS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. f

GRINDING ND POLISHING MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,953, dated June 26, 1894.

Application filed October 16, 1893. Serial No. 488,251. (No model.)

To all whom# may concern:y

Be it known that I', EDWARD FORD, of Creighton, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grinding and Polishing Machinery; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the .art to which it pertains to make and usethe same.

Myinvention relates toa machine for grinding or polishing, or grinding and polishing, such substances as plate-glass, stone, or other materials that are to be dressed down to a surface and afterward polished, ornot, as may be desirable or necessary.

I shall describe my invention as adapted to grind, or polish, plate-glass; although itfwill y be understood that I do not limit this-application narrowly to such use, as it is manifest that, Without any material variation, and without any departure vfrom the true spiritand substance of my invention, it is well suited for grinding or polishing other materials than plate-glass.

I'Ieretofore, in grinding or polishing machines employing revolving round or Octagonal tables and4 revolving runners, it has been necessary to bed the table with small glass outside of and encircling the large square area on which the large glass is bedded. This has been necessary owing to the fact that the runners heretofore employed, whether operated by their frictional contact with the material acted upon, or by suitable gearing, have always been allowed a range of movement extending outside of such square area; and unless afforded a support throughout their entire range of movement, such runners would break off the edges of the large glass and would seriously injure the machine.

Among the objections attending the bedding ofthe table with small glass to insure an extended support for runners operating as above set forth are the followingz--Unduly f large, fheavy and' expensive `machines are needed, v requiring corresponding power to drive the1n,owing.to the extra and practically waste` material thereon to be treated. Further, it involves the manufacture of small glass, which all plate glass manufacturers desire to avoid as far as possible. Further, the bedding of this small glass involves a great outlay of time, labor and material for bedding, smoothing and polishing, wherein plaster, rouge and emery are respectively employed, the table 'requiring a complete bedding for the treatment of each surface of the large glass. Furthera seriousloss is incurred by reason of the fact that all of the time re- 6o Y quired for handling this small glass is so much time lost and wasted in the use of the machine, and the service of the employs.

I am aware that English Patent- No. 18,151, of 1889, discloses agrinding machine and also a separate and materially diderent machine for polishing glass or other material. The grinding machine consists of a rotary square table and a vgrinding runner :located at one side of the axial center of the square table, 7o and adapted to be rotatedV only by its frictional contact .with the material on which it acts. The runner is rectangular, and 'projects outwardly from the edge of the square table a varying distance according as its po- 7 5 sition maychange with relation to the table at any given time. '.Owing to the fact that the runner is rotated by frictional contact, only, no fixed ratio of speed is maintained between it and the table, and hence it will 8o project one quarter of its length outside of the table.

It is evident that this machine is wholly impracticable as a polishing machine, because its polishing blocks, if of ordinary con- 8 5 struction, or of such construction as is shown in the English patent in question, would be carried off from the edge of the square plate and thus render the machine useless. In fact, in the said patent, a separate-and dis- 9o tinct machine foi' polishing is shown and described, which consists of several series of longitudinally reciprocating polishing blocks beneath which a rectangular table slowly reciprocates in a transverse direction.

My invention consists in the combination with a revolving table and revolving runners, one or more, of gearing for imparting a positive and differing speed to the table and runne'rs, the runners. being of such form and roo bearing such relation to the table'that, in the operation of the machine, they will act upon,

and be practically confined in their' action to a square surface on the table.

My invention further consists in certain other features of improvement, hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

The grinding and polishing of plate-glass require large, heavy and expensive machines; and the fact is too manifest to need explanation that the grinding, smoothing and polishing of plate glass must be accomplished in the most complete and perfect manner. Both surfaces must be perfectly flat and smooth, before polishing; and the polishing must be effected without any scratching of the glass, such as would surely result by the presence of the smallest particle of sand, or the like. Every portion 'of the glass bedded upon the revolving table must receive equal treatment with every other portion, else the plate will notA be uniformly and properly made, and is, therefore, ruined.

I-Ieretofore no experiments'iever made with a square revolving table have ever given any promise of accomplishing these, and other, essential performances; and it has, therefore, been thought by those who have ever given any attention to the construction or operation of glass grinding and polishing apparatus, that a revolving square table, desirable as it would be if it could be made to work, was something beyond the reach of practical and useful accomplishment; and, up to the time of this my present invention, grinders and polishers of the moving-table or platform type 1 have employed tables either round or Octagonal, and entirely covered with glass, and made to revolve, having revolving or reciprocating carriers or spiders for the grinders or polishers proper, or else the table has been square or rectangular, but not provided or associated 1 with runners confined in their action to a square surface on a revolving table. no prior device of which I am aware has there ever been a revolving square table, with the runners or spiders above it for carrying the on such table.

Having, in this general way, indicated the broad and leading features of my invention, I will now proceed to a more detailed description of one among many forms in which it may be embodied ;-and, as already said, I will describe it as I have constructed and used it,

and found it to be most completely and ad-` mirably suited to the grinding, smoothing and polishing of plate-glass.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view showin g a square revoluble table,

with two runners or spiders above it, and some of the associated gearing and connec- But in1 tions. In this figure, as in the other drawings accompanying this specification, the size, location, and position of the runners in relation to the tableareendeavored to beshown with approximate exactness. Fig. 2 is a view, in side elevation,showing the table,its general character of construction, its gear-connection with the driving power, two runners or spiders for carrying the grinders or polishers proper, the frame for supporting the runners above the table, and the gear-connections whereby the runners are revolved ;-also a lever-contrivance whereby the runners and their contained or attached grinders or polishers can be bodily lifted from the surface of the table. Fig. 3 is a view, in end elevation,showing the table, one of the runners resting upon it, and the immediately-associated gearing and connections. Fig. 4 is a plan View, showing, in solid lines, my square table with two runners. The dotted lines in this drawing indicate a round table, with the spaces outside the central square portion, (which would be bedded with large glass,) bedded with small glass. This drawing, as will later appeal', is provided to assist in explaining some of the faults and objections that inherently attach to all round, or octagonal, tables, completely covered or bedded with glass, as has been the universal custom heretofore; and also to explain how a round or octagonalshaped table, having only a square shaped area upon its surface bedded with glass, will constitute, and will be, to all eifects and purposes, a square table, and entirely within the scope and intent of my invention, when employed in association with independently revolving runners or spiders, substantially such as l shall hereinafter describe. Fig. 5 is a detached view, showing the under face of one form and construction of spider or runner, used for grinding and smoothing. Fig. G. is a plan view, showing a corner of the square table, and one form of spider or runner carrying polishing-plates. Fig. 7 is a view, in side elevation, of that which is illustrated in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a view, partly in side elevation, and part in vertical section, of one polishin g plate, and its manner of attachment to the runner or spider. Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the upper surface of the polishingplate illustrated in Fig. 8.

A is the square table upon which the glass, or other material to be ground, or faced, or polished, is suitably bedded or fixed. In the case of plate glass, the ordinary way of bedding is to place the glass in a thin layer of plaster of paris, which, upon setting, holds the glass to the table with sufficient firmness. To prevent any lateral disturbance or displacement of the glass, wooden pegs are driven at the outside edges, holes in the table being provided for these pegs. The table A must be made staunch and strong, suiliciently so to prevent any liability to breakage, or distortion, or unsteady working under the heavy strain to which it must be constantly sub- IIO jected. In short, to'save further reference to this feature, the entire apparatus, from end to end of the machine, must be constructed in a solid, strong and substantial manner, and the whole provided with a good foundation, preferably of masonry. This necessity will be recognized when it is stated that such .machines as I use have a table from eighteen to twenty feet square, and require about one hundred horsepower, each; to run them.

B represents aniron or steel sub-table beneath thev table-proper,havin g webs or braces -as'shown extending from a central hub, t0 vadd strength and stiffness to the structure.

rectly, by an engine.

E is a metallic `frame spanning the pit 1oeneath the table, in the center of which frame is a journal-bearing for the shaft C, to support its upper end. i

F is a miter-gear-wheel engaging with the 'gear-wheel D5' and, through shaft I, the wheel F transmits its motion' to the miter-gear Gr,l and thence, through the vertical shaft J, andgearsH H H2,'revolving motion is imparted to the runners or spiders M M. 'The gear` connection just pointed out between the wheel D and the runners M M is such that, for every revolution of the'wheel D, (and the table A I A vupon the same shaft 0,) two revolutions shall be given to the runners M M. Y

The operative face'of the grinding runners consists of square, rectangular, or other shaped, sections secured to the under face of the runner. However, as this method of shoeing a runner is not` new, it having been resorted to by others, and is so well understood Aby persons skilled in this artl it will be unp necessary to illustrate it in the drawings. It is suflicient to say that the grinding-surface illustrated in Fig. 5 is not made up of a single casting,'but of 'sections suitably shaped and proportioned, so that when attached to the runner, they shall match with each other and cover the lower face of the runner. These sections'are rough sandy castings, andv are consequently more or less uneven when iii-st applied and used, but soon become worn to a uniform plane. It is manifest that if a freshly shod grinding runner was allowed to'extend its grinding blocks beyond the outer edges of the bedded glass, anyblock or sec'- tion so escaping that was longer thanits fellows would strike/the edge of the glass when attempting to come upon the table with the certaiifresultofv breaking the glass, stripping it from the table, or damaging the machine.

'As the drawings clearly indicate, theshafts L L of the runners M VM', and their associated mechanism, are supported by, and operate in, the iron frame T, which frame spans the table and extends centrally over it.

In order to lift the runners M M and their contained or attached grinders or polishers bodily from the table A, the lever arrangement N, O, P, Q,VR, S, is provided the lever P being fulcrumed on a suitable support V; and this apparatus is operated by turning the crank or hand-wheel S in one direction or the other, as it is desiredto lift or lower the runners. The turning of the wheel S, whose hub is internally screw-threaded, allows the linkrod Q to rise or fall, thus raising or lowering the long arm of the lever P, which lever is fulcrumed in the frame T. The short arm ot' this lever is forked, and arrangements, shown with sufficient clearness in the draw- `ings to make detailed explanation unnecessary, are provided whereby this fork terminating `the short arm o f the lever can carry up or down, or maintain in any lifted position, the runners M or M.

I will here incidentally explain that, in the particular machine illustrated in the drawings, the table'A is constructed to be liftedV off from its sub-table B, and taken from the general machine to be bedded with glass; that when it is thusbedded it is set into position in such astructure as shown in Fig. 2 ofy the drawings, and there kept until the grinding process is completed, and the smoothing'process likewise if desirable; that it, Vand its contained glass, is then removed from that struct.-

ure,and carried to another machine of the same kind, and there placed upon another sub-table B, where itis kept during* the polishing process, and until one side of the bedded glass is entirely finished and polished; that this table A is then again removed from the polishing machine, and its glass removed, turned over and rebedded in fresh plaster, `and then put upon the sub-table of the grinding machine until that machine has nished'its work; that the table A is then removed from .the grinding machine and put Vinto the polishing machine, and there kept untilthe glass is polished Vand finished. By

this lmeans it will be seen that the glass is removed from the table and rebedded thereon but once during the entire process ofv grinding, smoothing and polishing both'of its faces. But all this has no material bearing whatever upon my invention; and l have only made.

the foregoing explanation in order more completely to show why the runners are not required to be lifted from the table A .any higherthan would appear possible from the construction illustrated in the drawings. But, so far asconcerns coming within my invention, it matters not in what particular manner the glass is bedded'upon its table, whether by plaster, or otherwise, or how it is ytaken through the steps necessary to finish it for the market, so long as the tableupon which it is ground or smoothed, or polished, is square and revolving, andthe runneror runners carrying the grinders or polishers proper are also revoluble, in the manner and to the effect described.

move up or down, so as to always rest with their full weight upon the table during operation, as well as to be lifted from the table.y

by the lever P, the vertical shaft L or L has a sliding feathe1-and-groove fitting within the hubs of their respective gears II or H2.

U represents the upright endsupports of the frame T.

I have shown in the drawings two `forms of runners or spidcrs;-one at Fig. 5, adapted for grinding, and another at Fig. 6 for polishing.

The rubbing surfaces of the grinding-runner consist of iron blocks which are detachably attached tothe runner-frame, either singly, or in groups, (preferably in groups.) In

use, these blocks are substantially worn ont in about six weeks constant running, and are then to be replaced by new ones.

In `thecase of the polishing-runner, I have shown what has been found to be a very ef-` fective construction of apolishing-plate therefor; and Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a polishing runner provided with said plates, and

also illustrate the manner in which the plates l are `constructedand attached to the runner- 1 frame.

frame enables the plate, of its own gravity, and irrespective of any other parts of the apparatus, to automatically adjust itself in even i The loose and wabbling attachment between the polishing-plate and its runnerz and entire contact Awith the glass being polished, without any danger of sudden and undue pressure or strain, either upon lthe glass or upon the machinery. I do not lay claim to the inventorship of .this particular con-A` struction and character of polishing-plate;

but havechosen to show it as one ofthe bestl devices for its `use that I know of. Itis fully shown and described in United States Patent No. 496,731, granted May 2, 1893, to John B. Ford ,--and for a better understanding of this special device, if such be necessary, reference is hereby made to the above-named patent.

Referring, now, to the runners or spiders,; while I prefer to provide two of them, as`

shown in the drawings, the larger one, alone,

might be made to suice; although it is ap-` parent that the work of the machine could not `be done so fast with one, as it will `be done with two, runners, because a `smaller number of grinding or polishing-plates will be inloperation. for providing two runners. Another reason for preferring two runners, instead of one, is

This is my principal reason that when two are used, as I have shown,`

tation, and deranging the operation of the l machine. In order that the runners M or M' mayl I prefer to construct the runners or spiders so that, in plan View, `they shall have a general oval, diamond, lozenge, kite, or equivalently-elongated shape, as this form insures against any of the attached grinding or polishing blocks or plates running unduly oit from the glass. I do not, however, narrowly limit my invention to any particular shape or outline for a runner, as they may be made of any form that will prevent their attached grinding or polishing-plates from unduly running ol from the glass, while, at the saine time, said plates shall be made :to eiiectually `operate upon the entire surface of said glass when the machine is in operation. The larger runner Mis madeof asuiicient length, and is so located,that it shall extend beyond the axial center of the table A, while the smallerv runner M', as sutticiently indicated in Figs. l and 4: of the drawings, is so proportioned and located that, on the one hand, it

shall properly clear the larger runner M, and,

on the other hand, not extend, at its ends, so far over the table A, during the operation ot' the machine, as that its grinding or polishing plates shall run unduly off from the glass.

In assembling my machine, it 4is important that the runners shall be properly `placed in relation to the table A; and this relation is shown in Figs. l and 4 of the drawings, where it will be seen that, when the table A has two of its sides parallelwith thelineof the frame T above it, the longest diameter of the ruuners is at right ,angles to the line of said frame, (see Fig. 1,) or, `when two corners of the table A are `centrally beneath `the frame` T, then the longest diameter of the runners is parallel with the line of said frame. In whichever direction, whether from right to left, or left to right, `the table A revolves, the runners should be made to turn in the same direction. It is entirelyimmaterial, however, in which direction the table and runners revolve, f0r,in either, the operation and results are the same, it only being important, as already said, that the runners and table should turn in the same direction, and that the runners revolve twice for every revolution of the table. When this is done, no mattei' at what `point the table may be during its movement, the revolving runners above it will be in such positions in relation to the table that none of the grinding `or polishing-plates can escape,

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or unduly run oi from the glass, while, at the same time, every portion of the glass bedded upon the table receives sufficient and uniform treatment.

Inthe drawings, (Fig. 6,) it will be seen that I have shown the two polishing plates W', which are located at the ends of the runner, as somewhat larger and heavier than the otherpolishing-plates, W, upon said runner. Whilethese heavier polishing-plates maynot be necessary, and while Atheycertainlydonot constitute any essential partof my invention,

still they may be found desirable by Way of hastening theoperation of the machine by effecting a more vigorous polishing action at the corners ofthe table, at .which part, owing to the fact that a smaller number of plates can operate, thepolishing process mightproceed more slowly than at the'fmore central part, where a greaternumber of plates are acting. y

I wish, in treating of the square-table element of my invention, to explaink that what is meant by the square table in this speciiication is not, of necessity, merely a table having a square top, but a table upon which the bedded glass or other material to be operated upon is laid upon the table so as to fill a square surface thereon, the center of said square substantially coinciding with the axial center 'of the revolving table. For instance, let us suppose the case of a circular-top table, say, of twenty-two feet diameter. On such a table I can map out a fifteenfoot square. `I bed only this square with glass, leaving -the rest of the table empty. New, if I properly locate overthis occupied square the runners M M, properly, proportioned, and operate the machine thus constructed and arranged, it is, se far as'every function and result isl concerned, a square table, and -nothing else, according to the essence and intent of my invention, and the meaning of this specification. The unoccupied parts of the circular table, just supposed,

are entirely unnecessary, useless and superfluous, and, in fact, are not acting or serving any of the purposes or functions of a table, for it is only the square-shaped 'area upon which the glass is bedded as described, and upon which the 'runners operate, that is acting as the table, or that can be considered the table proper. Iwould, therefore, have it understood that my invention would not be at all evaded, but, on the contrary, would be completely practiced, by the use of a round-top,

or octagonal-top table, having the glass to be worked bedded on such table so as to cover only a square area thereon, the center of which square should substantially coincide with the axial center of the table, in combination with one, or more, runners located above the table,`

as described, and arranged so that said runners shall have two revolutions to one revolution of the table, or shall be of such form and viding Fig. 4 of the drawings, is to show some of the material advantages and benefits ofthe square table, as compared with a round or octagonal table completely covered with-glass, as such tables have always heretofore been used. The rectangular spaces defined by the dotted lines in Fig. 4 indicate plates of small glass;v-likewise thetriangular spaces. The triangular glass is practically worthless, and

vthe small rectangular plates of very low value compared with large plates. Yet, in bedding these round tables, as they have always been used, they must be entirely coveredy with glass; and it not unfrequently happens that larger; plates, ofV greater value, have to be cut to provide these smaller pieces to cover the table.' The material waste here involved is too apparent to need further explanation; and what I have said. in'criticism of round tables completely bedded .with glass equally applies to octagonal tables.

Besides the objections already pointed out, the items of plaster for bedding'this small glass, the time and labor required for bedbing and handling it, the material consumed in grinding and polishing it, the extra size of the table itself, its cost of construction, the Y additional power required to run it;-all this, and more, unnecessary to here enumerate, is

entirely avoided bymy invention herein deand S'may be employed in the same manner.

as the grinding runners M M.

What I claim is l. A grinding or polishing machine, wherein revolving runners, one or more, are con# .fined in their action to a square surface on a revolving table, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y v

2. In a grinding or polishing machine, the combination with a revolving table and an elongated runner,'of gearing for positively actuating, and maintaining a constant ratio of speed between them, the runner and table associated, substantially as set forth, whereby the runner will act upon,and be practically confined in its action to, a square surface on the table.

3. In a grinding or polishing machine, the combination with a revolving table and an elongated runnerv of sufficient length to extend over and beyond the axial center of the table, of gearing for positively actuating and maintaining a constant ratio of speedv between them, the runner being of such form,

fand bearing such relation to the tableg-that;

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ro forth.

5. In a grinding or polishing machine, the combination with a revolving square table and an enlongated runner, of gearing for positively imparting two revolutions to the runner to each revolution of the table, said runner being of such form, and bearing such relation to the table, that, in the operation of the machine, it will act upon, and be practically conined in its action to, the square surface of the table, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specication, in the presence of two witnesses,tl1is 6th day of October, 1893.

EDWARD FORD.

Witnesses:

L. L. LEGGETT, J. B. FORD, Jr. 

